Breaking Down the Walls
by Tara1993
Summary: "Get drunk and do or say whatever you want, no one would ever remember in the morning." Questions are asked and answered, feelings are revealed and things change for our two favorite fixers. "Where are your kids tonight Dr. Santino?", "With Ray.", "So, your place or mine?"
1. Chapter 1

**This was a request, I wrote it in a day, not so happy all of it, I really don't like the ending but let me know what you guys think. :D**

Dani slid onto the barstool and turned her eyes to the man next to her.

"I am a little surprised to see you here Nico." She said with a smile.

Jeanette was supposed to meet her at the bar a few hours ago but she called off, she may not show it but she was taking the pregnancy thing pretty hard and even though Dani knew Jeanette was staying away from any and all alcohol it was still hard for her to go out. She was a little shocked to see Nico sitting at the bar although from the four empty glasses next to him she assumed he'd been here for a while.

"As surprising as it may seem I do go out like a normal person sometimes." He said, not glancing at her. She smiled a bit.

"I never said you didn't." She motioned to the bartender who slid a drink down the bar to her.

"So Jeanette didn't show up?" Nico asked, turning her head to look at her. The fact that he knew why she was here when she never told him barely even registered, she was beginning to understand that Nico always knew everything.

"Jeanette is pregnant actually, but I am sure you knew that, she was too nauseous to come." Dani said, taking a sip from her drink.

"What about you, no date for Nico tonight?" Dani asked, smiling at him.

He shook his head, "No, I just needed some time to think, get out of my own head as it were." He said. Dani nodded "I could use a night like that."

"Are things really so bad for you Dr. Santino?" He asked, finishing off his drink and calling for another.

"Well, Lindsey is sometimes talking to me, sometimes not, Ray Jay has suddenly gone super vegan thanks to his girlfriend, my husband has gotten me a few thousand dollars in debt and is now burning through the kids collage funds, Matt is considering marriage and my best friend is pregnant." She took a deep breath, finished off her drink and smiled. Nico smiled back and called for the bartender to give them both a shot of something much stronger.

"Thanks." She said when the drinks arrived.

"I think we both deserve it." He said quietly.

"So why do you need some time away from your life?" Dani asked, sitting her half empty glass down. Nico smiled at her and shook his head.

"Oh come on, you can't get all that information out of me and then not give me anything in return!" Dani whined. Nico smiled at her words and was quiet for a bit.

"When I was in the SEALS, my team and I would always go out for a night together when we finished our missions, we would have a rule, get drunk and do or say whatever you want, no one would ever remember in the morning."

Dani watched him carefully, confused as to why she was being given this information. He glanced over at her and smiled.

"So you're saying we should both get extremely drunk, ask each other whatever we want and it won't matter because we won't remember any of it tomorrow." Nico shrugged.

"I think you've got a pretty good head start and that's why you're suggesting this." Dani said with a laugh.

"Where are your kids at tonight Dr. Santino?" Nico asked, starting into his glass.

"They're with Ray." She said

"So, your place or mine?"

Dani laughed, "If you're asking, your place."

Dani road with Nico back to his house, he told her he'd call Xeno and have him drop her car off at his place. The two were quiet on the ride; a million thoughts were flying through her head. First of all she was extremely excited and a little nervous to be going to Nico's home. She was a little confused as to why he was suddenly letting her in, and she had a feeling this wasn't going to be just a little chat. From the look on Nico's face she felt like he was about to let her deep inside his walls. There were emotions playing behind his eyes that she couldn't read. She could tell he was on high alert, which surprised her because she knew he'd had a lot more to drink than she had but she assumed his time in the SEALS had taught him to never let his guard down and always be on the watch.

They pulled into a dark parking lot and a large black apartment building rose up in front of them, sleek and modern looking, the walls were complete windows but she couldn't see inside them, she had a feeling the occupants could see out though, she'd find out soon.

Nico opened the door to the car and offered his arm to her. She took his hand and let him help her down then followed him inside and into a stainless steel elevator. He pressed the button for the tenth floor and once again the stood in silence. Dani glance at him a few times out of the corner of her eye but she still couldn't read his expression. When they reached the tenth floor Dani followed him down the hall. Nico opened the door and stood aside letting Dani enter first. She took in the space around her in bits. Opening up in front of her was the living room, a plush leather chair and matching sofa sat in front of a glass coffee table and electric fire place, as she thought the windows looked out onto a beautiful view of the city. She stepped further inside and saw a kitchen to her right and a hallway leading down to what she assumed was a bathroom and bedroom to her left. Nico walked in behind her and she suddenly seemed extremely aware of him and his movements. He moved into the kitchen and started pulling glasses from the cabinets.

"Make yourself at home." He said.

Dani walked into the living room, kicked off her heals and curled into the corner of the sofa. Nico joined her a few seconds later with two glasses and a bottle of warm amber colored liquid. She smiled at him as he sat down.

"So we're really doing this?" Dani asked, taking the glass as Nico filled it for her.

"Well you're here now so I have to find some way of making you forget you ever saw this place." There was a glint in his eyes and she could tell he was joking, she smiled and laughed.

"Well then let's get started." They both tipped their glasses back and let the liquid burn on the way down.

They started out with simple things, respective collage careers, psychology major for Dani, Nico joined the Navy right out of High School. Siblings, both were only children. Nico asked about Ray, he'd never really got all the details. Dani answered, told him the whole story even though it pissed her off, which she also let Nico know. Then turned around and asked him about Gabrielle which in turn pissed him off but with enough goading he let her in and answered her questions. She poured him another drink and watched the expressions float across his face as he told her the whole story, from their first romantic moment to the last time they'd ever been together. Dani listened with undivided attention. Not so much for the psychological insight into his life but just for the story. Dani was honestly a little surprised to find that Nico was quite the romantic. She asked him what had finally made him realize it was time to move on.

"Gabrielle was a snake, a viper, she sucked you in with her beauty and you'd never know you were in danger until it was too late and she'd already bitten you.

"But you loved her?" Dani asked, finishing off yet another drink.

"At one time yes, but as I told you a few months ago, I wasn't willing to compromise myself for her and I knew that if she was so inclined, she would have taken me down with Marshall." Dani nodded and poured them each another round.

"So what is this about Matt thinking of marriage?" He asked, tipping back his drink. Dani quickly gathered her thoughts together, she prided herself on how well she could hold her liquor but her head was started to feel fuzzy and her whole body felt warm and lazy.

"I don't know much, only that Jeanette said he asked for her help to pick out a ring." She said, stretching her arms above her head and trying to suppress a yawn. Nico watched her carefully, his eyes floating over the bare skin of her stomach that was revealed as she stretched her arms higher.

"And what are your thoughts on that Dr?" He asked, Dani noticed that his voice had changed slightly, dropping to a deeper level but she chose to ignore it.

"I don't know." She rubbed her hands over her face and then through her hair, sighing.

"I mean, I only just signed my divorce papers a few months ago, I just, I don't think I can make that kind of commitment right now." He nodded and poured them both another drink.

"Can we change the subject?" Dani asked.

"Your turn for a question Dr."  
"You can call me Dani you know." She said, settling against his shoulder. He smiled and swallowed the liquid in the glass.

"Wait, wait so you had T.K. and Razor kidnapped?" Dani asked, a smile playing on her lips.

"No one was hurt; I took them back to the practice field, handcuffed them to the end zone and let them stew for a while." Dani laughed out loud.  
"Nico you pulled a prank." She said between laughter. He gave a quick smile then shook his head.

"I was just teaching a lesson." She smiled knowingly at him then stretched again and lay down, resting her head in his lap. They were quiet for a few seconds both starring at each other, Nico was fighting the urge to run his fingers through her hair.

"What was your first impression of me?" He asked instead.

"What?"

"When you first met me, what was the first thing you thought about?" Dani could tell he was being serious.

"Well, since we're being honest." She started, smiling up at him. "At first, I thought you were a little too much 'secret service', creeping around outside my house, showing up at all hours." She smiled up at him then took his hand in hers.  
"But then I got to know you a little better, and I realized that's just what makes you who you are, and it's why I," She caught herself and stopped short, she'd had far too much to drink, her brain wasn't working quite as fast as her mouth anymore.

"What was your first impression of me?" She asked quickly.

Nico was quiet for a while, she watched his face carefully, and she gave his hand a small squeeze as she held it in her own.

"Honestly?" He asked, his voice had deepened again.

"That's what we're doing right?" She was surprised to find she was whispering.

"The first time I saw you, I was a little wary of you, I'd had to work with therapists before and it always turned out horrible," She nodded, they were being honest after all.

"But then we had to go to Atlantic City, and you tried to get Terrence out of that club and I was impressed." She smiled.

"A few days later I followed you and Terrence to the cemetery in Newark, I watched you talk to him, I saw how much he respected you, in that moment, you had me." She smiled but gave him a questioning look.  
"I realized you were more than just a beautiful person Dani, you were smart and you stood your ground with Terrence, you'd done the impossible with him. I realized that you were a wonderful person and it frustrates me to no end that your husband cheated on you because you deserve someone who treats you with respect and in that moment, watching you with Terrence in the graveyard I realized that if I was ever lucky enough to get the chance to be with you I would give you everything you deserve and more."

Dani's lips parted slightly in shock and she was silent for a long time. Eventually she closed her eyes and sat up, turning to face him.

"Nico," She stopped and cleared her throat.  
"Nico, what are you saying?" She asked quietly.

She looked deep into his eyes, trying to read the emotions flying across his face but all she kept picking up was complete honesty, and she was a little frightened to realize that she was okay with that.

She closed her eyes for a second to try and gather her thoughts and when she opened her eyes again Nico was inches from her face. She sucked in a breath and let him close the distance between them.

He pressed his lips gently to hers and she sighed as she leaned into his touch. Nico wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap while he let his other hand run though her hair gently. Dani wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned deeper into his kiss, sighing again as his hand ran up her back to tangle with the other one in her hair.

"Nico wait." She pulled back and took a deep breath. She rested her forehead against his and took in his scent as she breathed.

"What are we doing?" She whispered.

She glanced up to look in his eyes and one by one saw his walls slam back into place.

"I am sorry Dani, I shouldn't have," He cut off and shifted his gaze away from her.

"I'll call Xeno, he can take you home, you've had far too much to drink, we both have, it'd be best if we called it a night." He shifted and sat her down on the sofa then made to stand up but she grabbed his hand and pulled him back down again.

"Nico Careles don't you dare close down on me now." She said, then took his face in her hands and turned him to face her.

"Dani,"  
"Nico, be honest with me one more time, do you really feel that way about me?"

"I wouldn't have told you if I didn't." He hadn't hesitated; she knew he was telling the truth.

"I can't take you away from Matt though Dani, I understand how you feel about him,"  
"No, stop, Nico, the whole reason I was planning on going out with Jeanette tonight was because I wanted to talk to her about Matt, get her advice, I don't think I can stay with Matt, If he's really going to go through with this proposal thing, It's just moving way to fast for me, I just have to step back."

"Are you sure?" Nico said after a few

"Pretty positive, now will you please kiss me again." His eyes flashed with lust and he pulled her back to him. He gently laid her back on the sofa, covering her body with his own and gently pressing his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back with just as much passion as he was giving her.

"Nico?" She whispered quietly

"What happens tomorrow?" She added, letting him kiss down her jaw line.

"We'll think about it when it gets here." He whispered.  
"We won't remember any of this tomorrow will we?" She asked, a note of sadness coming through in her voice.

"I don't know." His lips were on her neck now; she sighed and melted against his touch.

"I don't want to forget this." She said quietly, letting her hands run through his hair, bringing his mouth back up to hers.

"All you have to worry about is that right now, in this moment, I love you." She felt her eyes fill with tears at his words. She reached up and cupped his face in her hands.

"I love you too." He smiled and pulled her close, kissing her sweetly.

His bedroom was big and dark, the white sheets on his bed a stark contrast. She lay back on the bed and sunk luxuriously into the pillow top mattress. Nico smiled down at her, her bronze skin almost glittered in the moonlight. She reached her hand out for him and pulled him down on top of her, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him close.

She slept better than she ever had before, wrapped in Nico's embrace. It was almost ten o'clock in the morning when she woke up to a cold bed. She rolled over to find Nico gone and a note lying on his pillow.

_Duty calls, I'll talk to you later._

_N._

She smiled to herself and glanced out the window at the coming day. For as much as she drank last night she hardly felt hung over, which was great considering she had a full day ahead of her. She ran her fingers over her lips and tasted his alcohol laced kisses again then closed her eyes and re-lived every wonderful moment of last night before starting her day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, so I got a lot of reviews asking me to continue this, and after arguing with myself about it for a while I decided that while I don't want to turn it into a massive chapter story I can at least give it a few more entries. While I am not exactly happy with this chapter because I was kind of writing blind since I don't really have a storyline that lasted longer than the first chapter, I think this turned out okay. I don't know where I am going from here so it may be a while before I update again.**

* * *

It was two in the afternoon by the time she finally made it home. It took almost an hour to convince Xeno that she was perfectly capable of driving herself home, he was just as stubborn as the man he worked for.

The front door squeaked as she opened it and she silently cursed herself for not getting that fixed earlier.  
"Danielle Santino where have you been?" She was hoping to avoid this conversation. Jeanette walked into the front hallway, her hands on her hips.

"Well?" She said. Dani smiled sheepishly.  
"Um, I went for a run?"  
"In three inch heals?" Jeanette raised a finally manicured eyebrow. Dani fumbled for another answer but couldn't come up with one.

"Come on." Jeanette grabbed Dani's arm and drug her into the dining room. They both sat down at the table and Jeanette unfolded her hands in front of her as if to say, 'well, let's hear it.'

"I met a friend at the bar last night." Dani started.

"Okay, who?"

"I told you about Nico before right?" Dani sighed.

"Yeah, works security for the Hawks, tall, dark and scary, I remember."

"Right, well he was at the bar last night." Jeanette nodded.

"Look, long story short, we had a few drinks, he made a bit of a proposition we went back to his place and had a few more drinks."

"What kind of a proposition?" Jeanette interrupted.  
"It doesn't really make any sense unless you know him,"  
"Dani!"  
"Alright! Jeez. We decided to have quite a few drinks, ask an answer some questions that we never would sober and,"  
"Just forget all about it later?" Jeanette finished. Dani nodded quietly.

"Well, clearly that last part didn't work out to well." She added with a laugh.  
"Yeah." Dani whispered.

"So the reason you didn't come home until two in the afternoon is because?" Dani sighed and closed her eyes.

"Because, I might have, spent the night." She covered her face with her hands.

"Okay, spent the night or _spent the night?_" Dani didn't answer, just peeked out through her fingers at Jeanette.

"DANI!" Jeanette wacked her in the arm.

"Jesus Jeanette, calm down." Dani said, rubbing her injured forearm. Jeanette was quiet for a few seconds.

"Alright, I have a few questions here, but I think first and foremost is, how was it?"

Dani chuckled, "God, you're such a girl."

"Come on, I wanna know!" Jeanette wiggled her eyebrows in anticipation.

Dani covered her eyes with her hands again, "Jeanette." She sighed.

"Come on!" Jeanette tapped her fingers on the table.

"It was great okay, it was really good, and I really just don't want to talk about it." Dani said quickly.

"OH! I knew it! It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for, they may not talk much but they can get down and dirty with the rest of um."

"Jeanette! No one got down and dirty okay, god. You're making this a thousand times more uncomfortable than it already is." Dani said, shaking her head. Jeanette gave her a confused look.

"Look it wasn't weird or dirty or any of that crap okay, it was, it was loving and passionate and, completely the opposite of what you're thinking."

"Dani, that's actually really romantic, in a strange, drunk kind of way."

Dani rolled her eyes, "Moving on."

"For now, you're so gonna give me a full replay later." Jeanette said, Dani shot her a look so she changed the subject.

"What about Matt?"

"I am ending it with Matt." Dani said evenly.

"Because of what happened last night?"  
"No, because he wants kids and he wants to get married and I am not ready for either of those things, especially not the kids one. Look, Matt is a great guy but I just don't think he's the great guy for me." Dani explained.

"But Nico is?" Jeanette asked.

Dani was quiet for a while.

"I think so, I mean, I want him to be, I just, I don't know."

"Well take your time, figure it out, it's not like you have to rush into anything." Jeanette offered.

"Yeah I know."

"Look Dani, I know you wanna call it quits with Matt but, well, I am gonna call Augusto tonight, I want you and Matt to be there though, he's been really supportive through all of this and, I just kind of want him here."  
"That's fine J, I am gonna have to talk to him anyway, better to just get it over with I guess."

"It'll be alright, and I'll be here if you need me okay?"  
Dani took Jeanette's hand in her own.  
"You know I am so happy you decided to come visit." She said with a smile.

"I know, now, I am gonna get you some wine and then you're gonna give me that little play by play." Jeanette said, Dani laughed and shook her head as Jeanette grabbed a wine glass off the shelf.

Dani called Matt over around six but Jeanette never worked up the nerve to call Augusto until well after eight o'clock. Eventually she got a hold of him and she curled up in the corner of the sofa as she broke the news. Dani and Matt sat across from her and Dani watched with pride at how happy Jeanette got when Augusto told her he was 'mucho' happy about the baby. She turned her eyes to Matt, and could instantly see a longing in his eyes. He wanted a moment like this so badly, Dani knew it, but she also knew she wasn't going to be able to give it to him.

"Matt, can we talk?" She whispered, Jeanette was now fully immersed in her conversation with Augusto, Dani was sure she wouldn't mind if they slipped out.

She walked them up to her bedroom and sat them down on her bed.

"Matt, look me in the eye, and tell me you're a hundred percent okay with never having an ultrasound moment."

"Dani, I am."  
"So anytime we're around someone's kids, it's always gonna be the big elephant in the room, isn't it?"

Matt sighed and shook his head.

"I guess so, I had hoped you'd change your mind." Dani took a shaky breath.

"And I could see the hope in your eyes. I don't want you to sacrifice your dreams for me because you know you'd come to resent me, and I wouldn't be able to live with that."

"So this isn't going to work, is it?"

Dani could feel the tears brimming in her eyes but she shook her head.

"Matt I am so sorry." She tried to reach for him but he stood up.

"No, Dani, I am sorry, I should have realized this wasn't going to work."

"Matt you didn't do anything wrong, this isn't your fault it's,"

"Maybe that's what you think Dani but you know ever since we met I've been fighting for this I am just not sure why you keep pushing me away."  
"Matt, I am not, it's just, this is something I can't do and I don't want you to give up something you really want for me."

"No, I heard that Dani, but clearly there's something you're not telling me."  
"There's not." She was crying now, trying to make him understand that he'd done nothing wrong.

"We could work through this Dani, but for some reason you don't want to. You've known where I stood from the beginning, I tried to be a good friend to you, I got you a job with the Hawks, you knew I wanted a relationship with you but every time we get close to something that seems like commitment you pull away. So you can say you're sorry all you want but I don't have to hear it." And he stormed out.

Dani sat in shock for a few seconds and then the tears came even harder. How had that gone so wrong? Why didn't Matt understand that she just couldn't do the whole kid thing again, and she just wanted him to be able to have that moment, she was trying to be kind, to think of his best interests, wasn't she? She wasn't so sure anymore.

Jeanette saw Matt rush down the stairs and slam the front door as he left. Something had gone wrong. She quickly said goodbye to Augusto, promising she'd call again as soon as she could and then rushed upstairs to Dani's room.

"Dani, are you alright?" Jeanette walked carefully into her room. Dani was curled up on her side; Jeanette could tell she was crying.

"Not now Jeanette." Her voice cracked and her body shook.

"Dani you can talk to me, is everything okay?"  
"I just really don't feel like talking right now okay?"

Jeanette sighed and turned to walk out of the room, then caught a glimpse of Dani's cell phone lying on the bedside table. She glanced back at Dani then scooped up the phone and walked back downstairs.

She quickly flipped through Dani's contacts till she found who she was looking for, she moved into the living room so Dani couldn't hear her and pressed send.

"Dani?"  
"No, this is her friend Jeanette." Nico had to quickly re calculate, this wasn't a conversation he was planning on having.  
"Jeanette, is Dani alright?"

"No, that's why I called, you have to come over." Nico was already grabbing his keys and heading out the door.

"What happened?"  
"I am not so sure, she won't talk to me, something happened with Matt."  
"I'll be over as soon as I can."  
"Alright, I'll leave the door open for you."

Jeanette sat on the steps, her foot tapping impatiently on the floor. She kept glancing at the time but only five minutes had passed. She hadn't heard anything out of Dani and Nico still hadn't shown up. Five minutes later she saw headlights sweep across the front door. She stood up and raced over, pulling it open just before Nico got there. If Dani wouldn't talk to her, she knew she'd talk to Nico.

"She's upstairs." Jeanette said, the two of them walked in the house and Nico followed her up the stairs. She stepped aside when they got to Dani's room and Nico walked in quietly, turning to nod to Jeanette, letting her know he'd be alright. She smiled and turned to head back downstairs.

He could tell whatever had happened it had truly upset her. She was curled on her side, her shoulders tight, every now and then her body would shake on a quiet cry.

"Dani?" She flinched and sat up, her eyes filling with more tears at the sight of him.  
"Did Jeanette call you?" She asked as he walked around the bed to sit next to her.

"She said you wouldn't talk to her, that something happened with Matt?"

A few tears fell from her eyes and she choked on a sob.

"Nico I really messed things up." Her voice cracked and she started crying again. Nico pulled her in close, wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back gently, trying to calm her down.  
"You have to tell me what happened Dani or I can't take care of it." He said quietly.

"No, no, no. I don't want anyone disappearing." She said quickly, pulling out of his embrace.

"That's not what I meant, look, I'll talk to Matt, and we'll fix this if that's what you want." He said carefully.

Dani shook her head, "I want to be done with Matt, I do, okay." She took his hand in her own and looked into his eyes. He nodded and let her continue. "But he was really mad when he left here, he said something about how he helped get me in with the Hawks, Nico what if he tells that to coach, or the new GM, I could lose my job."  
"I won't let that happen."

He spoke with such conviction that Dani had no choice but to believe him.

"I am sorry Jeanette called you all the way out here." She said quietly.

"It's okay Dani, you know I am always here for you." He cupped her face in his hands and she let her forehead rest against his. She took a deep breath and felt a calm settle over her.

"It's gonna be alright, I promise." He said. She nodded and closed her eyes. He smiled at her and pushed his lips against her own gently.

"I was going to call you later." He said after a few seconds.

"You left me a note this morning." She said with a smile.

"So maybe that last step of your plan, about forgetting everything, didn't work out so well." She added.

"Did you want it to?" He asked, his voice almost a whisper.

"No." She opened her eyes to look into his hazel ones.

"Me either."

He let his lips brush hers and felt her smile before she pulled him closer.


End file.
